Skip to main content
Log in

Beyond 9-ODA: SEX Pheromone Communication in the European Honey Bee Apis mellifera L.

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The major component of the mandibular gland secretion of queen honeybees (Apis mellifera L.), 9-ODA ((2E)-9-oxodecenoic acid), has been known for more than 40 yr to function as a long-range sex pheromone, attracting drones at congregation areas and drone flyways. Tests of other mandibular gland components failed to demonstrate attraction. It remained unclear whether these components served any function in mating behavior. We performed dual-choice experiments, using a rotating drone carousel, to test the attractiveness of 9-ODA compared to mixtures of 9-ODA with three other most abundant components in virgin queen mandibular gland secretions: (2E)-9-hydroxydecenoic acid (9-HDA), (2E)-10-hydroxydecenoic acid (10-HDA), and p-hydroxybenzoate (HOB). We found no differences in the number of drones attracted to 9-ODA or the respective mixtures over a distance. However, adding 9-HDA and 10-HDA, or 9-HDA, 10-HDA, and HOB to 9-ODA increased the number of drones making contact with the baited dummy. On the basis of these results, we suggest that at least 9-HDA and 10-HDA are additional components of the sex pheromone blend of A. mellifera.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ayasse, M., Paxton, R. J., and Tengö, J. 2001. Mating behavior and chemical communication in the order Hymenoptera. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 46:31–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boch, R., Shearer, D. A., and Young, J. C. 1975. Honeybee pheromones: Field tests of natural and artificial queen substance. J. Chem. Ecol. 1:133–148.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brockmann, A. and Brückner, D. 2005. Drone antennae and the evolution of sex-pheromone communication in honeybees. Indian Bee J. 65:131–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockmann, A., Brückner, D., and Crewe, R. M. 1998. The EAG response spectra of workers and drones to queen honey bee mandibular gland components: The evolution of a social signal. Naturwissenschaften 85:283–285.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, C. G. 1971. The mating behavior of the honeybee. J. Entomol. (A) 46:1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, C. G., Calam, D. H., and Calow, R. K. 1967. Attraction of Apis mellifera drones by the odours of the queens of two other species of honeybees. Nature 213:423–424.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, T. A. 1997. Anatomical and physiological diversity in the central processing of sex pheromone information in different moth species, pp. 184–193. in R.T. Cardé and A. K. Minks (eds.). Insect Pheromone Research. New Directions. Chapman and Hall, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Free, J. B., 1987. Pheromones of Social Bees. Comstock, Ithaca, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gary, N. E., 1962. Chemical mating attractants in the queen honey bee. Science 136:773–774.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gary, N. E. and Marston, J. 1971. Mating behavior of drone honeybees with queen models (Apis mellifera L.), Anim. Behav. 19:299–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gries, M. and Koeniger, N. 1996. Straight forward to the queen: Pursuing honeybee drones (Apis mellifera L.) adjust their body axis to the direction of the queen. J. Comp. Physiol. A 179:539–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keeling, C. I., Slessor, K. N., Higo, H. A., and Winston, M. L. 2003. New components of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) queen retinue pheromone. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100:4486–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koeniger, N. and Koeniger, G. 2000. Reproductive isolation among species of the genus Apis. Apidologie 31:313–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linn, C. E. Jr., Campbell, M. G., and Roelofs, W. L. 1986. Male moth sensitivity to multicomponent pheromones. Critical role of female-released blend in determining the functional role of components and active space of the pheromone. J. Chem. Ecol. 12:659–668.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loper, G. M., Taylor, O. R. Jr., Foster, L. J., and Kochansky, J. 1996. Relative attractiveness of queen mandibular pheromone components to honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) drones. J. Apic. Res. 35:122–123.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phelan, P. L. 1992. Evolution of sex pheromones and the role of asymmetric tracking, pp. 265–314, in B. D. Roitberg and M. B. Ismam (eds.). Insect Chemical Ecology. An Evolutionary Approach. Chapman and Hall, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plettner, E., Slessor, K. N., Winston, M. L., and Oliver, J. E. 1996. Caste-selective pheromone biosynthesis in honeybees. Science 271:1851–1853.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Plettner, E., Otis, G. W., Wimalarntne, P. D. C., Winston, M. L., Slessor, K. N., Pankiw, T., and Punchihewa, P. W. K. 1997. Species- and caste determined mandibular gland signals in honeybees (Apis). J. Chem. Ecol. 23:363–375.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renner, M. and Vierling, G. 1977. Die Rolle des Taschendrüsenpheromons beim Hochzeitsflug der Bienenkönigin. (The secretion of the tergite glands and the attractiveness of the queen honeybee to drones in the mating flight). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2:329–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruttner, F., 1985. Reproductive behaviour in honeybees, pp. 225–236, in B. Hölldobler and M. Lindauer (eds.). Fortschritte der Zoologie, Vol. 31. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruttner, F. and Kaissling, K.-E. 1968. Über die interspezifische Wirkung des Sexuallockstoffes von Apis mellifica und Apis cerana. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 59:362–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanasi, A., Ratulu, G. S., and Sundara, G. 1971. 9-Oxodec-trans-2-enoic acid in the Indian honey bees. Life Sci. 10:195–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shearer, D. A., Boch, R., Morse, R. A., and Laigo, F. M. 1970. Occurence of 9-oxodec-trans-2-enoic acid in queens of Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, and Apis mellifera. J. Insect Physiol. 16:1437–1441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slessor, K. N., Kaminski, L. A., King, G. G. S., Borden, J. H., and Winston, M. L. 1988. Semichemical basis for retinue response to queen honey bees. Nature 332:354–356.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Velthuis, H. H. W. 1985. The honeybee queen and the social organization of her colony. Fortschr. Zool. 31:343–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E. O. 1971. The Insect Societies. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank G. Eisenmann and N. Schneider, who built the drone carousel, and K. Galmbacher and P. Bernbauer, who helped with data collection. J.S. and A.B. were supported by the German Research Foundation DFG (SFB554 and Graduiertenkolleg 200).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Axel Brockmann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brockmann, A., Dietz, D., Spaethe, J. et al. Beyond 9-ODA: SEX Pheromone Communication in the European Honey Bee Apis mellifera L.. J Chem Ecol 32, 657–667 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-9027-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-9027-2

Key Words

Navigation